Vacuum cleaning-machine



W V. ORR.

VACUUM CLEANINGMACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19| I917.

Patented June 8, 1920.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM V. ORR, OF CLEVELAND, OI-IIO.

VACUUM CLEANING-MACHINE.

Application filed. April 19, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM V ORR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in VacuumCleaning-hlachines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to vacuum or suction cleaning apparatus andespecially to suction cleaners having a cleaner casing and a nozzleembodied in a unitary structure and movable about the surface to becleaned. Gleanof this type are usually mounted on traction wheels foreasy movement about the floor to different scenes of operation andgenerally have an operating handle pivotally attached thereto by whichthe cleaner may be manipulated. It is sometimes desirable to have theoperating handle rigidly fixed to the casing instead of pivotallyconnected thereto, as for instance when the cleaner is to be liftedbodily by the operating handle from the floor or when the cleaner is tobe lifted from one surface to another, as from step to step of astairway or from the floor to the side walls, the ceiling or theupholstery. One object of my invention is the provision of improveddevices for securely locking a pivoted handle to the cleaner casing atthe will of the operator, the pivoted arrangement of the handle withreference to the casing being unimpaired. another object is theprovision of locking devices which do not interfere with or obstruct theremoval of the handle from its pivotal points on the casing. Stillanother object is the provision of locking devices which are removablewith the o aerating handle and form a part thereof. till anotheradvantage of my invention is a locking device of this character which issimple and of few parts, is easily manipulated and inexpensive in itsmanufacture. For a better understanding of the above noted features ofmy invention and other.

advantages which will hereinafter appear reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side view of a suctioncleaner embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof showingcertain parts broken away and certain parts in section; ig. 3 is aperspective view of an operating fork of the handle removed from thecasing and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

Serial No. 163,106.

carrying the locking devices and Fig. dis a detail view of the lockingdevices.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a suction cleaner of theself-contained type embodying a motor casing 1, a fan casing 2, a nozzle3 and traction wheels t. The cleaner is adapted to be moved about fromone point on the floor to another in the usual manner and formanipulating the cleaner an operating handle 5 is provided, a part ofthe operating handle being broken away for convenience in illustration.This operating handle embodies at its lower end two forks 6 (only onebeing shown for convenience in illustration) which are pivoted at theirlower ends to the motor casing 1 as illustrated. The pivotal connectioncomprises pins 7 anchored in seats formed on opposite sides of the motorcasing, these seats having flat bearing surfaces for the reception ofthe lower ends of the forks having corresponding bearing surfaces. Theforks are provided with apertures or sockets 8 which are adapted toreceive the pivot pins 7 when the handle is attached to the motorcasing. The operating forks 6 are somewhat resilient and may be easilysprung into and out of engagement with the pivot pins 7 in the usualmanner. The operating handle 5 is thus freely pivoted to the suctioncleaner casing for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the cleaneraxis or parallel to the direction of movement, and is convenientlyprovided with a heel 9 on the lower end of the forks for engagement withthe fan casing 2 whereby the downward movement of the handle is arrestedwhen it reaches a certain position.

It is sometimes desirable to fix the operating handle rigidly to themotor casing l and in accordance with my present invention I providelocking devices which cooperate with the pivotal connection 7 forbringing this about. These locking devices comprise an adjustablelocking pin 10 which passes through an aperture in the fork 6 removedfrom the aperture 8 and is adapted to engage or enter into any one of aplurality of apertures 11 provided in the motor casing 1, theseapertures or recesses 11 being arranged on the arc of a circle whosecenter is at the pivotal point 7 of the operating handle. The lockingpin 10 is pressed inwardly toward. the motor.casing by means of a leafspring 12, this spring being attached as by means of a rivet 13 to theinner side of the fork 6 and having its free end formed into a fork 14;which straddles the locking pin 10 and plays in an annular groove formedtherein. On the outer side of the fork and around the aperture thereinis formed a cam 15 and cooperating with this cam 15 is a lug or pin 16projecting out from one side of the looking pin 10 and by turning thelocking pin in its seat in the fork in a clockwise direction the pin 16slides up the cam surface 15 and thereby causes the withdrawal of thelocking pin 10 from the apertures 11 in the motor casing. The tension ofthe leaf saring 12 is such as to press the pin toward the opening 11 andis suflicient to retain the pin 10 in any position to which it has beenturned, the constant pull causing the ing 16 to bear tightly against thecam 15. A depression 17 may be formed in the upper part of the cam 15for receiving the lug 16 and more securely locking the pin 10 in thewithdrawn position. The pin 10 is preferably provided with a knurledhead 18 for convenience in turning the pin to withdraw it from theopenings 11 against the tension of the leaf spring 12. The operation ofthe locking device is obvious from the description, it being apparentthat the locking pin 10 may be withdrawn at will by the operator orinserted in any of the openings 11 at the will of the operator to lockthe operating handle in any desired angular position with reference tothe cleaner casing. It is also clear that the locking devices arecontained on the operating handle itself so that upon removal of thehandle from the cleaner casing the looking device including the lockingpin is withdrawn from the opening 11 simultaneously with the removal ofthe operating handle from the casing, there being no exposed lockingdevices remaining on the casing for obstructing the removal from or theattachment to the cleaner. The simplicity of the device is obvious aswell as the inexpensive nature thereof, the locking devices devicesshown except as is specifically set forth therein or is required by theprior art.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In asuction cleaner the combination of a cleaner casing adapted to bemoved about on the surface to be cleaned, an operating handle pivotallyattached at its lower end to said casing, said handle having an openingtherein near the pivotal point and also a shoulder adjacent the opening,and a locking pin located in said opening and having a lug adapted tocoeperate with said shoulder in holding said locking pin retracted, saidcasing having an opening for receiving said pin for the purposedescribed.

2. In a suction cleaner the combination of a cleaner casing adapted tobe moved about on the surface to be cleaned, an operating handlepivotally attached at its lower end to said casing for swinging movementin a plane parallel to the cleaner axis, said handle having an aperturetherein transverse to said plane, said handle also having a cam aroundsaid opening, a locking pin adjustably located in saidopening and havinga lug coeperating with said cam, means for pressing said locking pintoward the cleaner casing, said casing having an opening for receivingthe pin for the purpose described.

3. In a suction cleaner the combination of a cleaner casing adapted tobe moved about on the surface to be cleaned, an operating handlepivotally attached at its lower end to said casing for swinging movementin a plane parallel to the cleaner axis, said handle having an aperturetherein above the pivotal point and ar 'anged transversely of saidplane, said handle also having a cam on its outer surface and aroundsaid opening, a locking pin adjustably mounted in said opening andhaving a lug coeperating with said cam, said pin having an annulargroove therein, and a spring attached at one end to said handle andwhose free end plays in said annular groove for pressing said pin towardthe cleaner casing, said casing having an opening therein for receivingsaid pin for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature.

l/VILLIAM V. ORR.

